Kestrelfeather's Sacrifice
by FanFicWriter2004
Summary: Note: The elders are a traveling group, moving from Clan to Clan with every full moon.
1. Info

MountainClan  
Leader: Silverstar-silver tabby she-cat  
Deputy: Darkfur-black tabby tom  
Medicine Cat: Graystorm-gray she-cat with darker flecks

Warriors  
Foxclaw-ginger tom with extra long claws  
Sunthunder-golden and gray tom  
Apprentice: Frogpaw  
Cinderfur-light gray tabby she cat  
Ashtail-gray tom with amber eyes  
Lionfeather-golden tom with green eyes  
Badgerfrost-brown, black, and white striped tom with ice-blue eyes  
Dawnlight-black and white tuxedo she-cat  
Blackwing-black tabby she-cat  
Brackenpelt-golden-brown tome  
Apprentice: Snowpaw  
Beechshade-sandy tannish tom  
Birchshade-light gray tom  
Cloverheart-light gray she cat with green eyes  
Ravencloud-black she-cat  
Tigersnow-white tabby tom with black stripes  
Apprentice: Fuzzypaw  
Oaklight-light brown tom  
Bluefeather-dark gray she-cat  
Skyfeather-dark gray tom  
Emberflight-black she-cat with golden flecks

Queens  
Pinestripe-ginger she-cat  
Mother of Oaklight's kits: Mousekit (brown tabby tom), and Flamekit (ginger and golden she-cat)  
Cloudtip-black she-cat with white ear tips and tail tip  
Mother of Tigersnow's kits  
Leopardberry-brown she-cat with black markings and green eyes  
Mother of Lionfeather's kits: Cheetahkit (golden she-cat with black spots), Fiercekit (light gray tom), and Barkkit (brown tortoiseshell tom)  
Crystalshine-white she-cat  
Mother of Sunthunder's kits: Lightningkit (gray tabby tom with black stripes)  
Mapleflower-dark brown she-cat  
Mother of Foxclaw's kits: Kestrelkit (light brown tabby she-cat), Falconkit (gray tom with amber eyes), and Hawkkit (dark brown tabby tom)

Apprentices  
Fuzzypaw-black tom with long tufty fur  
Frogpaw-brown tabby tom  
Snowpaw-white she-cat with amber eyes

CloudClan  
Leader: Tanglestar-brown tabby tom  
Deputy: Frostclaw-white she-cat  
Medicine Cat: Sunrose-golden she-cat with an unusual pinkish tail tip

Warriors  
Hailfoot-light gray tom with darker feet  
Apprentice: Icepaw  
Windheart-gray she-cat  
Snowstripe-ginger she-cat with white  
Apprentice: Leafpaw  
Moorleg-pointed tom  
Eaglebreeze-gray tom with amber eyes  
Apprentice: Birdpaw  
Yewspots-light ginger tom with dark ginger patches  
Apprentice: Duskpaw  
Blossomleap-lean tortoiseshell she-cat  
Patchfang-white tom with black patches  
Skywing-gray tabby tom  
Otterstep-gray tom with red-brown patches  
Brightstem-dark ginger she-cat  
Lightflame-light ginger tom  
Mistysoar-white she-cat with silver tabby patches  
Willowleap-beautiful silver tabby she-cat  
Stormleg-dark gray tom with amber eyes  
Rabbit fur-small white tom with dusty brown patches  
Apprentice: Thornpaw  
Wolfclaw-gray tom with a white underbelly and paws  
Hollydust-black she-cat  
Apprentice: Juniperpaw  
Tallflight-large dark tabby tom  
Mapleflight-dark tabby she-cat  
Nightgaze-black tom with silver flecks

Queens  
Dawnflower-light ginger she-cat  
Mother of Wolfclaw's kits: Waspkit (golden tom with dark ginger markings), and Adderkit (sleek gray tom)  
Goosepetal-white she-cat with light gray patches  
Mother of Tallflight's kits: Mosskit (dark tabby tom with greenish markings), Mistkit (gray tabby she-cat with white paws), and Doekit (light brown she-cat with mottled light brown markings)  
Hazelfoot-dark tabby she-cat  
Mother of Patchfang's kits

Apprentices  
Juniperpaw-gray and black mottled she-cat  
Thornpaw-golden tom with green eyes  
Duskpaw-black and gold tom  
Birdpaw-light brown tabby she-cat  
Leafpaw-brown tabby she-cat  
Icepaw-white tom

RainClan  
Leader: Greenstar-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes  
Deputy: Mosstail-dark gray tabby she-cat  
Medicine Cat: Milkfur-long furred cream tom

Warriors  
Shadowstep-large black tom with amber eyes  
Ravenfur-black she-cat  
Crowfur-black tom  
Apprentice: Bearpaw  
Brindleflank-dark tortoiseshell tom  
Leafpelt-brown tortoiseshell she-cat  
Rippleshade-golden and black tabby she-cat  
Flightheart-white tom  
Riverclaw-dark gray tom  
Apprentice: Beaverpaw  
Mouseshine-light brown she-cat  
Gingerblaze-dark ginger she-cat with a white stripe on her face  
Branchflame-dark tabby tom  
Apprentice: Wildpaw  
Sagesplash-light ginger she-cat  
Apprentice: Shellpaw  
Spiderheart-sleek black tom  
Stonecreek-large gray tom  
Robinfall-red-brown tom with black paws and tail tip  
Apprentice: Puddlepaw  
Flamespeck-flame-colored tom with cream flecks and underbelly

Queens  
Lostbird-white she-cat with black patches  
Mother of Stonecreek's kits: Snailkit (black and white tom) and Fernkit (silver tabby she-cat)  
Smallflower-small cream colored she-cat  
Mother of Spiderclaw's kits: Toadkit (lanky black tom) and Swiftkit (sleek gray tom with white paws and underbelly)  
Sunpelt-golden she-cat  
Mother of Robinfall's kits: Shrewkit (small dusty brown tom)

Apprentices  
Bearpaw-large brown tom  
Beaverpaw-brown tabby tom  
Wildpaw-light gray she-cat  
Shellpaw-white and gray tortoiseshell tom  
Puddlepaw-gray she-cat with blue eyes

SparkClan  
Leader: Foxstar-ginger tom  
Apprentice: Horsepaw  
Deputy: Streamcloud-gray tom  
Medicine Cat: Aspentail-brown tabby tom

Warriors  
Stormwind-gray she-cat  
Flintheart-light gray tom with tufty fur  
Apprentice: Hazelpaw  
Briarfoot-red-brown tom  
Lightningwind-scruffy light ginger tom  
Firestripes-orange tabby tom  
Blueflower-blue-gray she-cat with white paws  
Apprentice: Dustpaw  
Whisperlight-silver she-cat  
Apprentice: Featherpaw  
Batfoot-dark gray tom with large black ear tufts  
Ebonypounce-sleek black she-cat  
Sandstone-light ginger tom  
Shadestrike-large black tom  
Squirreltail-light gray she-cat with a fluffy tail  
Apprentice: Rainpaw  
Dovebounce-small gray she-cat with a white underbelly  
Jaggedclaw-dark gray tom  
Brookstripe-dark tabby she-cat  
Blackfeather-fluffy black tom  
Whiteflash-white she-cat  
Appledawn-light ginger she-cat with reddish tabby markings  
Darkfoot-large brown tabby tom with white paws  
Rivergust-gray tom with a white underbelly and paws

Queens  
Eveningstorm-white she-cat  
Mother of Jaggedclaw's kits: Mothkit (sandy tom), and Thrushkit (gray tortoiseshell tom)  
Echofrost-speckled silver she-cat  
Mother of Shadestrike's kits: Ripplekit (gray tabby tom), and Bramblekit (large dark tabby tom)  
Sunheart-golden tabby she-cat  
Mother of Briarfoot's kits: Rustkit (reddish tabby tom) and Fawnkit (light brown she-cat with white spots on her back)

Elders  
Turtlefoot-dappled gray and black tom  
No-tail-black and white tuxedo she-cat with half of a tail  
Graymask-gray she-cat  
Loudstep-silver tom  
Whitebird-white she-cat with a silver muzzle, paws, and tail tip  
Grassheart-gray tabby tom with cloudy green eyes  
Harenose-scruffy gray she-cat  
Badgerpelt-large black tom with a white stripe down his back


	2. Chapter One

Kestrelkit was staring at the sunrise over the snowy peaks of her mountainous home. None of her siblings had woken up yet, and only the dawn patrol was up, so she had no one to play with.  
A rustle in the ferns behind her, and a light, pine-like smell, told her that she had company.  
"What are you doing up this early?" her brother, Falconkit, asked.  
"Oh, you know, waiting for my lazy brothers to wake up," she teased.  
"First off, I'm not lazy, and second, it's dawn. No one in their right mind is going to be up at dawn."  
"Whatever."  
Kestrelkit rolled her eyes. A moment later, she pounced.  
Her paws pummeled his underbelly, while pinning him underneath her with her greater weight. Falconkit growled and sneaked his back legs underneath her stomach. He thrust them upward, to throw her off, but only succeeded in kicking air.  
Kestrelkit had leapt off to the right at the last second, and now attacked her brother's tail with even more ferocity. Suddenly, she felt a weight on her scruff, her paws being lifted off the ground, and soft, dark brown fur brushing her  
back.  
"Mom!" she whined. "We were just having fun!"  
"But fun can wait," Mapleflower said through the bundle of fur in her mouth.  
"Mom-" Kestrelkit started.  
"You are attending your first apprentice ceremony," the dark brown she-cat meowed firmly. "Lightningkit is your cousin, and you are therefore expected to be present for such a prestigious event. And you are not supposed to  
look like rogues for such a ceremony. Now, where is your brother?"  
Falconkit bounced in place, squeaking, "I'm here! I'm here!"  
"No, sorry dear, I meant Hawkkit," Mapleflower muttered, distracted.  
Her amber eyes searched the camp avidly, becoming more and more distressed by the moment. Then her eyes both lit up and darkened at the same time, if such a thing was possible.  
She had spotted the young tabby at the entrance to camp, with Ashtail, one of the senior warriors. He had burrs in his fur, and a gleam in his yellow eyes. But when they met his mother's, that gleam quickly dimmed.  
"What," Mapleflower hissed, "in StarClan's name were you doing outside of camp?!"  
"That would be my fault," Ashtail mewed, stepping in after sensing trouble. "I say him hanging around the camp, and thought I'd take him for a slight jaunt a few fox-lengths outside. Please, blame me, and not the kit."  
"Father, I-really, it is-I'm so sorry-" Mapleflower stuttered, not really seeming able to construct a good sentence.  
Kestrelkit stepped in. "What I think Mom means to say is, 'Thank you for bringing my kit back safely, and I would like to have a word with him.' Right Mom?"  
"Ah-yes, of course. That is exactly-yes, yes. Come along now, Hawkkit, no dawdling. Thank you!"  
She aimed one last remark at Ashtail, over her shoulder, keeping one eye on Hawkkit the entire time.  
"Sorry, Mom," Hawkkit muttered when they had gotten a few paces away.  
"Sorry isn't going to cut it, mister," Mapleflower said sternly. "You've set us back a few minutes, worried me to death, and-oh, I'm just so glad you're safe."  
This was her mother's nature, Kestrelkit thought. Mad one minute, sad the next, and in three seconds she was as happy as a kit with a piece of moss before it got boring.  
Mapleflower hugged her son close to her side, and began licking him fiercely on the top of the head. His tufty tabby fur was tamed by her rough tongue, and his stripes soon gleamed. Falconkit got the same treatment soon afterwards, and Kestrelkit  
was last. The first two kits got a couple more touch-ups, but they soon had to turn towards the TallStone. Mapleflower approached proudly, as if presenting them to the Clan for the first time.  
But even more proud, and standing close to the TallStone, was Crystalshine, with her smug looking son languishing next to her.  
He had a sort of lazy elegance to him, Kestrelkit thought. He didn't have to try to be dignified.  
His black stripes gleamed, and his blue eyes shone bright and clear. A shadow fell over him, and Silverstar stood on the rock. She looked down on the entire clearing from her perch, regal, yet fond. Then she spoke.  
"Lightningkit, you have com to the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed."  
She began the ceremony immediately, as everyone was already there.  
"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lightningpaw. Your mentor will be-" and here she paused, looking over the assembled Clan "-Cinderfur. I hope Cinderfur will pass on all that she knows to you.  
Cinderfur, would you please step forward?"  
The light gray she-cat padded forward, eagerness in her bright yellow eyes.  
"Cinderfur, you are ready to take on your first apprentice. You have received excellent training from Graymask, and have shown yourself to be brave and clever. You will be the mentor of Lightningpaw, and I expect you to pass on all that you know  
to him."  
Cinderfur bent over, reaching down to touch noses with her new apprentice. Lightningpaw stretched out, and their noses brushed for a brief moment.


	3. Chapter Two

The Clan erupted in loud cheers of "Lightningpaw! Lightningpaw!" in which all of Mapleflower's litter joined in.  
The cheers died down after a few moments, and in the silence, Silverstar mewed,"I think that our new apprentice deserves to go to the Gathering tonight. Make sure to not strain him too much."  
She gave Cinderfur a pointed look, but her eyes were full of a mirth that softened her glare. Cinderfur mewed a response back, but Kestrelkit was no longer listening. She had spotted a butterfly across the clearing, and was now alerting  
her brothers of its presence. She made a leap at it, her claws only just clearing its wings. It fluttered further upwards, and Hawkkit made a wild leap for it. This time, it fluttered further out of reach, so far that they couldn't get it. Not even  
caring, they proceeded to continue leaping at it.  
It was only when their mother came over, when they persisted in their attempts to catch the butterfly.  
"Come along, dears," she instructed, walking towards the nursery. "It's time you met Pinestripe's new litter."  
This was of interest, as Pinestripe had had her litter only a day ago. Her kits, who were named Mousekit and Flamekit, had not been shown to anyone except Graystorm, who had delivered them.  
When they got to the nursery, Pinestripe was curled up around her kits, who had only their heads poking out. One was light brown, like their father, only a tabby, and the other was dappled gold and ginger. Mapleflower gave Pinestripe a gentle  
nudge with her nose, which got a jolt of surprise from the ginger queen. She opened her yellow eyes, and yawned. She uncurled her tail over the small bundles of fur next to her.  
Now alert, she introduced them. "Mapleflower, Kestrelkit, Hawkkit, Falconkit, these are Mousekit and Flamekit. Mousekit's a tom and Flamekit's a she-cat."  
Kestrelkit walked up closer to the kits, curious about these tiny bundles of fur. They mewled in their sleep, twitching periodically. She could have sworn she heard Mousekit meow something into Pinestripe's belly.  
"Pinestripe is tired," Mapleflower announced suddenly. "We should let her be. Come, I'll show you around the outside of camp."  
"Ooh, sounds fun!" Falconkit squeaked. He raced past Kestrelkit, and zoomed through the exit.  
The rest of the litter followed slower, walking quicker than normal though. They ducked under the barrier, to see a forest of endless trees.  
Someday, Kestrelkit thought. Someday, I will wander through these trees, and climb the tallest mountain on our territory. Someday.

Several moons passed, and Mapleflower's litter was growing quickly. Kit pelts gone, and adult ones already growing in, and apprentice ceremonies only a day away. Rain was falling thick and fast from the sky, pelting the new litter in the  
Clan. Cloudtip had just had her litter of three; Flightkit, Lilykit, and Jaykit.  
"What's this wet stuff?" Lilykit asked.  
The little tabby took after her father, Tigersnow, but instead of black stripes, she had gray. Her brother, Jaykit, was the exact replica of their mother. Flightkit was a light gray, with white ear tips, tail tip, belly, and boots.  
"Rain, darlings," Cloudtip mewed, wrapping her long tail around the kits. "It's water that falls from the sky. It's our ancestors, sending us water to fill the ponds and streams we drink from. So, when it rains, know your  
ancestors are watching."  
Flightkit, being the most adventurous of the litter, stepped out from her mother's tail, and batted at one of the droplets.  
"Well they're sending it to the wrong place. The ponds and streams aren't over here," Lilykit reasoned, always the logical one.  
She took a couple steps out, and stared upwards to the clouds. Jaykit stayed closer to the young queen. He didn't dare step out into the light downpour, lest something happen. Then the little cat jumped as lightning sparked across the sky.  
He yelped and burrowed deeper into his mother's long fur.  
Smiling slightly, she called to the other two kits. Then she bent down and purred something into his ear. She stood up, and gave her fur a shake, scattering the moisture that had collected on her pelt. The Lilykit and Flightkit bounded over,  
and litter and queen headed towards the nursery.  
"Do you want to go to the nursery yet? The storm is disguising the sun, but I believe it is getting close to sundown."  
"No! Let's stay out! I want to stay in the rain forever!" Falconkit exclaimed, retaining some of his young-kit-like excitement.  
"I think we should head in,"Hawkkit countered, his thick striped fur fluffed up against the rain. "It's getting late, and I don't want to be soggy when I go to sleep."  
"Hawkkit's got a point," Kestrelkit mewed, wrapping her tail around her paws.  
"Fine," Falconkit conceded. "We'll head in."  
They all padded over to the nursery, and before they were allowed in by their mother, they shook off pelts and feet. When they entered, it was like being cocooned in a soft blanket of feathers. The warmth of all the sleeping bodies in the  
nursery made it quite warm despite the dropping temperature outside.  
The next morning, the rain had blown over, and although the ground was still slightly boggy, it wasn't all that bad out. Small rays of sunshine peeked through the scant cloud cover, beginning to dry the earth.  
Mapleflower's litter was up and about, running around in the clearing. But the sun was reaching its peak, and the dark brown she-cat called her litter to her. Kestrelkit was first in getting her pelt washed by her mother.  
And as her mother smoothed and washed her fur, she watched the warriors coming and going, wondering which would be her mentor. Then she looked to the TallStone, where Silverstar was talking with Darkfur. She would be deciding today who would be her teacher.  
She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice that Mapleflower had moved on to Falconkit until she heard him complaining.  
"I don't-no-Mom!"  
"Stay still and it'll be over soon," Mapleflower soothed.  
"No it won't," the young tom grumbled.  
"Who d'you think will be your mentor?" Kestrelkit asked her brother, in an attempt to distract him from the washing.  
"Dunno. Maybe Ashtail. I have no idea," he meowed.  
"Done!" Mapleflower declared.  
"Oh!" Falconkit exclaimed. "That was quicker than I was expecting."  
Mapleflower gave him a meaningful glance, and moved on to the largest of the litter.  
A small bit of movement out of the corner of Kestrelkit's eye told her that Silverstar was climbing up the TallStone.  
"Mom!" she breathed. "Silverstar is getting ready to call the Clan!"  
Mapleflower responded with a surprised look and reinvigorated licking. Hawkkit winced, but stood steadily.  
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather now beneath the TallStone."  
Mapleflower abruptly stopped licking Hawkkit, and gathered up the rest of the litter. They approached the TallStone slowly, but not at a snail's pace.  
"Hawkkit," Silverstar meowed, in a loud clear voice. "You have come to the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Hawkpaw. Your mentor will  
be Badgerfrost. I hope that Badgerfrost will pass on all that he knows to you. Badgerfrost, would you please step forward?"  
The young striped warrior stepped forward, next to his new apprentice.  
"Badgerfrost, you are ready to take on your first apprentice. You have received excellent training from Turtlefoot, and have shown yourself to be brave and strong. You will be the mentor of Hawkpaw, and I expect you to pass on all that you know to  
him."  
Badgerfrost leaned down to touch noses with Hawkpaw.  
"Falconkit, you have come to the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Falconpaw. Your mentor will be Ashtail. I hope that Ashtail will pass on all  
that he knows to you. Ashtail, would you please step forward?"  
The gray warrior padded to the TallStone from the back of the crowd.  
"Ashtail, you are ready to take on another apprentice. You have received great training, and have shown yourself to be courageous and smart. You will be the mentor of Falconpaw, and I expect you to pass on all that you know to him."  
Ashtail bent over to touch noses with his new apprentice, and got a surprising bonk on the nose. Falconpaw had jumped to touch noses with his mentor, and accidentally hit him on the nose.  
"Kestrelkit, you have come to the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Kestrelpaw. Your mentor will be…"


End file.
